


The circle of life

by Anything00but



Series: Oneshots [6]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Peter Hale, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Character Death, Depressing, Emotional Hurt, Established Relationship, Good Peter Hale, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Sad, Sad Ending, Sane Peter Hale, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:21:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26274025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anything00but/pseuds/Anything00but
Summary: Stiles hasn’t seen most of his relatives since his mother’s funeral. It’s weird seeing all those same people now gathered here for a second funeral. John would have a fit seeing all those pretentious people standing there, looking all upset and sad.
Relationships: Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: Oneshots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905679
Comments: 7
Kudos: 136





	The circle of life

The sun is shining through the maple trees. It’s not hot or cold. It’s just perfect. The shadows under the trees are full of people seeking shelter from the sun as they are all dressed in black. Beautiful flower arrangements in their arms waiting for the ceremony to start.

Scott stands under the tree closest to the mound of mold. He is wearing his nicest black suit with a black tie. Hair has been tried to style down, a lost battle clearly. He looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks. Which might be true if you think about it. Kira is standing by Scott’s side, a matching black dress on her slim body. Her hair is curled and it waves in the wind. She offers a water bottle to Scott who refuses it, a tear tracing down his cheek. Kira seems resigned but doesn’t push the matter, letting Scott be.

Melissa says something to Scott that makes the boy lower his gaze. She has tied her curly hair up, the few loose strands flying around in the wind. Kira says something to her, making Melissa pull her in a hug fighting back tears.

Lydia is standing under the same tree wearing a design black dress. She could pull any dress if she wanted. Her strawberry blond hair partly tied up, small sections framing her face curled. Light lipstick on her lips and tamed makeup on she looks as dashing as always. She has a bouquet of white lilies in her arms, standing there wearing black heels that dig into the dirt.

Jackson stands behind her. The suit he is wearing looks like something Lydia chose for him. It’s a well fitting suit that makes justice to its wearer. The dream couple from high school, gold bands shining on both of their left hands. Jackson tries to take the flower bouquet from Lydia only to be shot down with a sharp glare. So he just stands there looking around before spotting Isaac and heading towards the man.

Isaac with his blond curls wildly bouncing on his head walks closer to Jackson and greets him. It’s been a while since Isaac has been back in Beacon Hills. And the years have been good to him. He looks healthy compared to the pack that stayed. He has filled from the awkward gangly teenager to this young man that is now standing there.

Chris is standing behind Isaac looking around. He is trying to find someone. Chris also looks like the leave from Beacon Hills has treated him well. Ever since Allison died the man has been living in Europe with Isaac. He seems older. Wrinkles more prominent on his face, mostly laugh lines. It’s good to see that he has managed to live his life after everything.

Chris finds Derek in the crowd, standing to the side like he always does. They have a quiet conversation while glancing around the cemetery. Derek is not wearing his leather jacket which amazes Stiles as he watches the two men talk. Derek has managed to find a suit to wear, Stiles thinks with a little smile on his lips. Derek looks repentant as he keeps glancing towards where Peter and Stiles stand, on the outer parts of the crowd. Cora manages to make his way to Derek’s side, holding two bouquets of light pink carnations and white roses.

Even Cora looks dejected as she joins the conversation the two men are having. Her short black dress makes an impression on Stiles. He has never seen Cora wear a dress during the six years he has known her.

She didn’t wear a dress even to Lydia and Jackson’s wedding. So this is a huge step up, Stiles muses with a smile creeping on his lips. He really loves all the Hales. They have become his family after he graduated from high school and moved away from the shitty town known as Beacon Hills.

Peter has been fighting back tears ever since he arrived. Stiles doesn’t know how to comfort him. He has never seen Peter like this. Not once since they started dating five years ago, after Stiles’ first year in college.

His father had not been thrilled to learn about their relationship. It had taken a long time for his father to accept the fact that Stiles loves Peter and is in the relationship for life. Now John wouldn’t have to worry about walking him down the aisle.

The priest walks over to Melissa, asking something about if everyone is there so they can begin. The ceremony has been pushed out for over an hour already. Melissa nods with a final look around the people present.

Stiles hasn’t seen most of his relatives since his mother’s funeral. It’s weird seeing all those same people now gathered here for a second funeral. John would have a fit seeing all those pretentious people standing there, looking all upset and sad.

The priest walks over the casket and asks everyone to gather closer. Stiles isn’t sure if the priest is the same one they used in her mother’s funeral. He seems the same but Stiles could be wrong.

Everyone slowly gathers around the white casket that sits neatly, ready to be let down in the grave. It’s a beautiful casket Stiles has to admit. Maybe not something he would have gone with but he wasn’t in a condition to arrange the funeral.

The priest talks but Stiles tunes him out. He keeps watching the people who came. The whole pack is there to pay their condolences. Scott is now crying with Melissa. Stiles is impressed that Scott held on for so long. The little lost puppy.

Lydia is leaning on Jackson with a few tears falling on her cheeks and even Jackson is crying. Stiles never thought that Jackson, his former bully, would care so much.

Derek is holding Cora as she cries. Stiles is sure she will later, years from now, deny crying. Stiles can respect that. Derek is looking more sorrowful than Stiles ever remembers him seeing the man. The always gloomy man with his sarcastic eye rolls now brought to tears as they lower the casket in the ground.

Peter must be the worst of all. He stands there, hands in tight fists as he keeps staring at the casket until it disappears in the six feet deep hole in the ground. Peter tries so hard not to break before all these people. He now has tears falling freely down his face. His beautiful blue eyes shot red from crying. Dark circles under his eyes from all the sleepless nights he has had. The hollow cheeks from lack of eating. No one has been able to get Peter to take care of himself. It’s nerve wracking to watch from the side, helpless to do nothing as the person you love more than life itself suffers like that.

One by one the guests start placing the flower bouquets on the grave. The pack goes first and slowly Stiles’ relatives follow behind. Peter doesn’t move and Derek and Cora carefully come over. Stiles takes a step back, making more room for the two to talk to their uncle.

“Peter?” Cora asks quietly, voice almost breaking as she speaks.

Peter doesn’t spear a glance at her.

“Uncle Peter”, Derek says desperately, “You need to give me the flowers.”

Much to Stiles surprise Peter gives Derek the flowers he has carried in his arms. It’s the most beautiful bouquet of flowers Stiles has ever seen. It has white lilies and white roses. The part Stiles likes the most is the touch that there are baby blue hydrangeas really catching the eye. Peter did a good job for choosing that bouquet of flowers.

Derek has just placed the flowers down when a loud yell can be heard.

“Hey!”

Everyone turns to look from where the shout came from. Only to see John, drunk out of his mind, tottering closer to the ceremony. Melissa wipes her tears and rushes to meet John.

Stiles can’t hear what is being said but he can hear his father yelling in the background. Stiles gives his full attention to Peter who has moved closer to the grave for the first time ever. Ever since the gravestone was put on it’s place.

Stiles touches his wedding ring and looks at the matching one on Peter’s fingers. He feels sorrowful as he watches Peter’s silver ring glisten in the sun. They have such beautiful rings. It’s sad that they would never be engraved.

Stiles stares at the gravestone that still reflects a reflection. He stares at his own name written in gold letters with his birthday and the day he died. He never thought he would die being as young as he was.

He thought he would have his whole life ahead of him. A life with Peter, away from all the supernatural and danger. But in the end you can’t really make that kind of demand.

“You!” John’s voice breaks Stiles' thought.

Peter turns around to look at John.

“You are drunk John. This is not what Stiles would have wanted for you”, Peter sighs brokenly wiping his tears in vain.

“What do you know what my son would have wanted!” John yells outraged, “I’m sure my son would have wanted to stay alive!”

“I have no part in Mieczysław’s death”, Peter tries to collect himself before all those people who now stares at the two of them.

“Don’t you dare say his name”, John growls, a bottle of whiskey in his hand, “You can’t say that name like it means something to you.”

“Sheriff”, Derek comes between them, trying to calm down John, “This is not the time or place for that. We are here to grieve your son.”

“And whose fault it is that we have to be here? Huh?” John asks angrily, pointing at Peter.

“If you are claiming I had anything to do with the death of my fiance I have to ask you to leave”, Peter pleads, “John, I don’t want to fight with you. We both… we all have lost a dear family member. I’m asking you to calm down.”

“And to hell with you. Stiles would be alive if he wasn’t with you. I knew from the first moment you were no good for him”, The sheriff keeps yelling as Derek and Chris lead him slowly away from the rest of the guests.

“And all of you people who haven’t even called Stiles since his mother died. Who even invited you? I sure as hell didn’t!” Everyone listens as John rages as he is being led away.

Slowly the priest says something about the reception being held inside and that everyone should head there. And everyone starts slowly heading away from the grave. Stiles watches from Peter’s side as his friends and family walk away from them.

Stiles doesn’t know how long Peter stands there. It could have been minutes or hours before Derek and Cora walks over. They hover carefully around him before Derek places a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

It is a mistake.

Peter growls coldly as he turns around in a blink of an eye. Derek is pinned on the ground Peter flashing his red eyes at him

“Don’t touch me”, Peter snarls darkly as he lets go of Derek.

“Peter I don’t want you doing anything rash”, Derek speaks from the ground while Cora helps him up.

“Why would I do something rash?” Peter asks with a dry chuckle, “I just lost my mate who I thought I would get to marry in a few weeks. Or is it the alpha power that I gained making you nervous that I will go out of my mind once more?”

Peter stares down his two betas. He forces them to submit to him and if Stiles was there he would make Peter stop. But he isn’t. He can’t do anything but watch it all unfold. An alpha werewolf, just freshly lost his mate, his anchor. Nothing could go wrong obviously with that.

“Uncle Peter, Stiles wouldn’t want you doing anything bad. You need to grieve and move forward-”, Cora tries but fails as Peter cuts her off.

“Move forward you say?” Peter yells eyes glowing red, “I have lost my mate. Does not anyone know the meaning anymore? It’s not a little deal, little missy, that I can just brush off. I lost half of my soul when he died. Do you think I wanted the alpha spark like this?”

“Peter we don’t want to lose you. I know it can be hard right now to see it but you will find a reason to push forward again”, Derek tries to reason.

“You heard what John said”, Peter snarls turning around to face the parking lot, “I am the reason why Stiles is dead.”

“Everyone knows that’s not true. He is just drunk and hurt over his only child being dead”, Cora speaks anxiously.

Stiles watches Peter back as the man starts to walk away from the grave. Stiles doesn’t follow the man. It’s too late to ask for anything now. He only watches as the silver ring from Peter’s ring now glitters on top of his gravestone.

Oh how Stiles wishes he could touch it, pick it up. Or even feel the wind blowing on his face. It’s all gone now. There is no going back, no cheating death.

It’s Stiles’ turn to cry for his love.


End file.
